Chunfen
C春分
Lspring equinox
Pchūnfēn
Bpmfㄔㄨㄣ ㄈㄣ
PhfsChhûn-fûn
Jceon1 fan1
Ychēun fān
PojChhun-hun
Tltshun-hun
BucChŭng-*hŭng
MblmcChé̤ng-hóng
Kanji春分
Hiraganaしゅんぶん
Romajishunbun
Hanja春分
Hangul춘분
Rrchunbun
Chuhan春分
Qnxuân phân
Mncᠨᡳᠶᡝᠩᠨᡳᠶᡝᡵᡳ
ᡩᡠᠯᡳᠨ
Mnc vniyengniyeri dulin
Monхаврын хугас
Mongᠬᠠᠪᠤᠷ ᠤᠨ
ᠬᠤᠭᠤᠰ

The traditional Chinese calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms.[1] Chūnfēn, Shunbun, Chunbun, or Xuân phân is the 4th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 0° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 15°. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around 20 March and ends around 4 April (5 April East Asia time). It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 0°.

Pentads

Each solar term can be divided into 3 pentads (候). They are: first pentad (初候), second pentad (次候) and last pentad (末候). Pentads in Chunfen include:

China

  • First pentad: 玄鳥至, 'The dark birds arrive'. 'Dark bird' in this case refers to swallows, which are also making their northward migration,[2] or the Xuanniao.
  • Second pentad: 雷乃發聲, 'Thunder sounds', referring to the onset of spring thunderstorms.[2]
  • Last pentad: 始電, 'Lightning starts'. This refers to thunderstorms as well, but also to the gradual lengthening of daytime, and the prevalence of sunlight. [2]

Japan

A pentad as follows was referred to Japanese traditional calendar presented in a smaller, easy to use, format.

  • First pentad: (雀始巣, Suzume hajimete sukuu), 'Sparrow begins holding a nest'.[3]
  • Second pentad: (桜始開, Sakura hajimete hiraku), 'Cherry blossoms open for the first time'.[3]
  • Last pentad: (雷乃発声, Kaminari sunawachi koeo hassu), 'Distant thunder start to sound'.[3]

Date and time

Date and Time (UTC)
YearBeginEnd
Source: JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System

See also

References

  1. ^ Zhang, Peiyu & Hunag, Hongfeng( (1994). "The Twenty-four Solar Terms of the Chinese Calendar and the Calculation for Them". Purple Mountain Observatory. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  2. ^ Kondō Heijō (近藤瓶城) (ed.) (1901). "新加纂録類 (Shinka Sanrokurui)". 改定史籍集覧 (Kaitei Shiseki Shūran). Vol. 19. Tokyo: 近藤活版所 (Kondō Kappansho). p. 110.
  3. ^ Fujisawa, Morihiko (1961). "年中行事編 (Nenjū Gyōjihen)". 図説日本民俗学全集 (Zusetsu Nihon Minzokugaku Zenshū). Vol. 7. Tokyo: Akane Shobō. p. 103.